Photo: Going To The Match, 1953, oil, L S Lowry (1887-1976)
A new gallery project at The Lowry brings together rival football fans from Manchester United and Manchester City - in an art gallery!
Four families, two of which support Manchester City and two who are United fans, have been asked to put together video diaries for a new exhibition at the Lowry in Salford called “Going to the Match: A Picture in Focus”.
The exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Salford-born Lowry’s famous picture “Going to the Match”. It opens on October 11, 2003 and runs until January 18, 2004.
Photo: Jack Charlton - “... just like it was in those days when I was young: all wooden open stands, cinders underfoot, terrible conditions in the toilets."
“In creating the project we saw a wonderful opportunity to work with some local families who hadn’t been to The Lowry before, who could form part of our new interpretation of L S Lowry’s painting, ‘Going to the Match’.
It’s been a great experience – we’ve learned more about how families treat each other, with art and with the tradition of football, which is obviously an important part of life around Manchester”, says Sally Entwistle, Head of Community and Education at The Lowry.
The painting is owned by the Professional Footballers Association who bought it for a record £1.9 million in 1999. It has been on long-term loan to the gallery for the last four years.
Lowry painted the picture in 1953 for a competition run by the association and shows fans going to Bolton Wanderers game at their old home ground, Burnden Park.
It is Jack Charlton’s favourite painting and forms the centrepiece for the exhibition that includes other drawings and memorabilia as well as the video diaries.
Jack Charlton says, “This is just like it was in those days when I was young: all wooden open stands, cinders underfoot, terrible conditions in the toilets. It reminds me of Newcastle United years ago. Everyone turning up 15 minutes before kick-off, seeing your uncle Billy or your school mates in the crowd… there’s so much in it, it’s fabulous.”
